Hochelaga, terre des âmes (Hochelaga, Land of Souls) has been chosen to represent Canada for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
The film, a late addition to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, is a historical drama about 750 years of Montréal. The story emanates from a sinkhole inside Percival Molson Stadium, home of the CFL Alouettes.
I recognize Karelle Tremblay and Caroline Dhavernas in the cast. François Girard wrote and directed Hochelaga, terre des âmes. American audiences might recognize Girard from The Red Violin.
Canada's entry last year was Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World (Juste La Fin Du Monde). Dolan's film did make the top 9 cut but was not in the top 5. That film finished second at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
The last Canadian film to make the top 5 cut was Rebelle (War Witch) in 2012.
Most entries are in French but that isn't a requirement. Hochelaga, Land of Souls has French and English as well as Indigenous languages such as those spoken by the Mohawk and Algonquin peoples. Water, War Witch, Incendies, and The Necessities of Life were primarily in a language other than French.
2017 TIFF Canadian film wrapup
TIFF 2017 preview
TIFF 2017 Canadian films preview
Xavier Dolan film makes top 9 Oscars cut
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions is still the only Canadian film to win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. That mark should remain, not so much because of the nominated film but the competition is rather strong in recent years.
I've seen every Canada entry in this Oscar category since 2005. Hopefully, I will see Hochelaga, Land of Souls in Windsor or sometime soon.
video credit: YouTube/Films du Quebec
You might be interested in this article reviewing films screening at the VIFF. Cheers.
https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2017/09/28/Women-of-a-Certain-Vintage-Screen-VIFF/
Posted by: veronica | September 29, 2017 at 09:40 AM
Very beautiful. thanks for sharing. I was also thinking of Molly Parker's directorial debut Bird. The short film played at Cannes and TIFF.
Parker is certainly not old by any respect, but the intrigue of Parker writing and directing (and hopefully still acting) will add layers of wonder to Canadian film.
Posted by: Chad | September 29, 2017 at 03:38 PM